Women at UNC looking to join Greek life will soon have a new sorority to choose from during recruitment.
The Panhellenic Council recently approved the addition of a chapter that is slated to open in fall 2015 with the intention of giving more women the opportunity to participate in the Greek system.
“We saw a lot of women that weren’t placed but really wanted to join a chapter,” said Brittney Bahlman, a coordinator in the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Community Involvement.
Caitlin Durr, former vice president of recruitment for the Panhellenic Council, said during the last five years, fall recruitment had increased every year, and between 2012 and 2013, the council saw an increase of about 50 potential new members.
“There has been more interest for the community as a whole,” she said.
During the next two months, national Panhellenic chapters will apply to be included in the UNC Panhellenic Council. A committee of chapter delegates and advisers will then choose the new chapter.
During its first semester of recruitment, the new sorority will go through the membership building process, which will be lead by a combination of volunteer and staff from the national chapter or members from local chapters at other universities.
The prospect of adding an additional chapter was voted down last February, which Durr attributed to questions about the process of adding a new chapter and how it would affect existing chapters.
“It may not have been the time last year,” said Bahlman. “But it is really the time this year.”
